No doubt Howe is the better player but it's also way easier to lead the league in anything in a 6 team league compared to 22 plus.

Bure just screams goal scorer, and not much else, he leads the league 3 times and is top 5 2 other times despite not having a great setup man or PP QB.

35 goals as a 19 year old in Russia along with the 9 goals in 6 game performance at the 98 Olympics adds to his case IMO.

Injuries took away what might have been but his goal scoring rate was simply incredible and even more so for the era.

Maybe I just looked at the question the OP asked a little differently but goal scoring isn't the 1st thing that comes to mind for Howe, it's longevity and the Geordie Howe Hat trick, a goal, assist and a penalty.

its easier? How exactly? There is more competition as players face eachother many more times. Everyone knows every player from inside and out. It was even more dangerous to lead in anything back then than it is today.